The instant invention provides novel oxabicyclooctanes having the structure: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl and R.sub.2 is one of C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkyl or alkenyl as well as intermediates for producing same having the generic structure: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sub.2 is one of C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkyl or alkenyl and one of the dashed lines is a carbon-carbon double bond and the other of the dashed lines is a carbon-carbon single bond, and C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl esters thereof, and uses thereof for their organoleptic properties in consumable materials.
Chemical compounds which can provide green, minty, herbaceous (e.g., rosemary, garden mint, thyme and wet lettuce) cooling, sweet, fruity, woody, eucalyptol-like, buchu-like, caraway, spicey, carvone-like, minty, basil-like, sweet anise, peppery and geranium-like aromas with fruity, blueberry-like nuances are desirable in the art of perfumery. Many of the natural materials which provide such fragrances and contribute such desired nuances to perfumery compositions are high in cost, unobtainable at times, vary in quality from one batch to another and/or are generally subject to the usual variations of natural products.
By the same token, materials which can provide dill, parsley-like, nutmeg-like, celery-like, floral, lemon, grapefruit-like, carrot-like, raisin-like, woody, safranal-like, piney, strawberry-like, raspberry-like, blueberry-like, spicy, herbaceous, lime-like, black tea-like, black pepper-like, fennel, anise-like, licorice-like, green, sassafras-like, minty, juicy fruit, orange-like, sweet, floral, fruity, berry-like aromas and dill, parsley-like, nutmeg, celery-like, lemon, grapefruit-like, carrot-like, woody, raisin-like, tobacco-like, piney, spicey, strawberry-like, raspberry-like, blueberry-like, spicey, herbaceous, lime-like, black tea-like, black pepper, biting, sweet, fennel, anise-like, licorice-like, green, sassafras-like, minty, juicyfruit-like, orange-like, floral, fruity, berry-like and herbaceous flavor characteristics are desirable in applying the art of flavoring to foodstuffs, toothpastes, chewing gums and medicinal products. Many of the natural materials which provide such flavor notes and contribute desired nuances to flavoring compositions are high in cost, vary in quantity from one batch to another and/or are generally subject to the usual variations of natural products.
By the same token, hay, fruity, herbaceous aromas prior to and on smoking are desirable in the tobacco art for enhancing natural tobacco-like notes.
There is, accordingly, a continuing effort to find synthetic materials which will replace, enhance or augment the essential flavor and fragrance notes provided by natural essential oils or compositions thereof. Unfortunately, many of these synthetic materials either have the desired nuances only to a relatively small degree or else contribute undesirable or unwanted odor to the compositions. The search for materials which can provide a more refined root beer-like flavor, for example, has been difficult and relatively costly in the areas of both natural products and synthetic products.
Artificial flavoring agents for foodstuffs have received increasing attention in recent years. For many years, such food flavoring agents have been preferred over natural flavoring agents at least in part due to their diminished cost and their reproducible flavor qualities. For example, natural food flavoring agents such as extracts, concentrates and the like are often subject to wide variations due to changes in quality, type and treatment of the raw materials. Such variations can be reflected in the end products and result in unfavorable flavor characteristics in said end product. Additionally, the presence of the natural product in the ultimate food may be undesirable because of increased tendency to spoil. This is particularly troublesome in food and food uses where such products as dips, soups, chips, sausages, gravies and the like are apt to be stored prior to use.
The fundamental problem in creating artificial flavor agents is that the artificial flavor to be achieved be as natural as possible. This generally proves to be a difficult task since the mechanism for flavor development in many foods, medicinal products, chewing gums and toothpastes is not completely shown. This is noticeable in products having licorice, spice, dill, parsley, carrot, grapefruit, nutmeg, spearmint, lemon juice, lime, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, black pepper, and root beer flavor characteristics, particularly.
Even more desirable are products that can serve to substitute for difficult-to-obtain natural perfumery oils and at the same time substitute for natural flavoring ingredients in foodstuffs, chewing gums, medicinal products and toothpastes and in addition, at the same time, substitute for natural flavoring ingredients in tobaccos.
Arctander in "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals (Aroma Chemicals)", Vol. I, 1969 at monograph No. 616 describes 1,8-cineole having the structure: ##STR3## as being useful in perfumery and in flavor compositions. Thus, Arctander states, regarding 1,8-cineole:
"Fresh, diffusive, camphoraceous-cool odor of poor tenacity. Sweet and fresh, cool-camphoraceous taste and cool mouthfeel unless very highly concentrated. PA1 "Widely used in perfume compositions for its refreshing effect in herbaceous type fragrances, Lavender, New Mown Hay, Fougere, etc. and in medicinal type odors for soap and household products. Also, in masking odors for industrial purposes, unless Eucalyptus oil must be used for its lower cost. PA1 "This oxide has found increased usage during the 1965/66 period of abnormally high prices for Lavandin and Spike Lavender oils. PA1 "The odor of Eucalyptus is, in some countries, rated synonomous with masking odors for lavatories, etc., a fact which has an unquestionable psychological effect, causing people to reject the odor of Eucalyptus for oral-hygienic purposes, etc. Similar viewpoints has been observed about the use of Methylsalicylate in dentifrice in many European countries. Peculiarly enough, Methylsalicylate is still a popular candy-, soft-drink-and toothpaste flavor in the U.S.A., where the ester at the same time is used as a masking agent in toilet-bowl cleaners! PA1 "The `olfactory association` is quite human and common, but it may at times completely destroy the chances of a chemical from its use in flavors or other field. PA1 "Eucalyptol is extensively used in flavor compositions, particularly in all types of preparations for oral hygiene, dentifrice, breath-sprays, mouthwashes, cough lozenges, pastilles, skin-rubbing lotions, inhalator fluids, etc. PA1 "It seems, however, that its use in skin rubbing lotions has hampered its popularity as a candy flavor in the U.S.A. PA1 "Normal use concentrations are about 1 to 15 ppm in the finished (flavored) product, but concentrations as high as 200 ppm are found in chewing gum."
Furthermore, the compound having the structure: ##STR4## and the compound having the structure: ##STR5## are reported by Sopov and Kovner at Zh. Obsch. Khim. 34, 1492-6 (1964) as abstracted in Chem. Abstracts, Vol. 61, 5529b.
The Sopov and Kovner reference does not, however, disclose organoleptic uses of the compounds having the structures: ##STR6##
Furthermore, nothing in the prior art discloses any of the compounds having the generic structure: ##STR7## wherein R.sub.2 is C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkyl or alkenyl and R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl and nothing in the prior art discloses organoleptic uses or uses as intermediates of the compound having the structure: ##STR8## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl and R.sub.2 is C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkyl or alkenyl, or lower alkyl esters thereof, e.g., acetates.
Insofar as their organoleptic uses are concerned, the compounds of the instant invention have unexpected, unobvious and advantageous properties over such compounds of the prior art as 1,8-cineole.